Bill Text: MS SB2698 | 2026 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: CCID inferior court; authorize additional staff.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)
Status: (Failed) 2026-02-03 - Died In Committee [SB2698 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2026-SB2698-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2026 Regular Session
To: Judiciary, Division A; Appropriations
By: Senator(s) Michel
Senate Bill 2698
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 9-12-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE APPOINTMENT OF ONE ADDITIONAL ATTORNEY TO SERVE AS A PROSECUTING ATTORNEY FOR ANY CAUSE OF ACTION WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CAPITOL COMPLEX IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INFERIOR COURT; TO AUTHORIZE THE APPOINTMENT OF A FULL-TIME CRIMINAL INVESTIGATOR WITHIN THE JURISDICTION OF THE CAPITOL COMPLEX IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INFERIOR COURT; TO AMEND SECTION 25-32-4, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE APPOINTMENT OF TWO ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS WHO SHALL PERFORM DUTIES IN CAPITOL COMPLEX IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT INFERIOR COURT; TO AUTHORIZE SUPPORT STAFF FOR THE ADDITIONAL FULL-TIME ASSISTANT PUBLIC DEFENDERS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 9-12-3, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
9-12-3. (1) The Attorney
General shall designate * * * three (3)
attorneys to serve as prosecuting attorneys for any cause of action within the
jurisdiction of the Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID) inferior
court. The prosecuting attorneys may be employees of the Office of the
Attorney General or contracted by the Attorney General for such purposes. The
attorneys shall prosecute cases in the court provided for the CCID inferior
court and also in the same manner and with the same authority of law provided
for district attorneys and county prosecuting attorneys by filing an indictment
or any other criminal action that accrues or occurs, in whole or in part, in
the CCID.
(2) The Attorney General may appoint a full-time criminal investigator to serve as an investigator for any cause of action within the jurisdiction of the CCID inferior court. Under this subsection, the Attorney General shall have the same authorizations and requirements of the appointing authority under Section 25-31-10. The full-time criminal investigator shall receive compensation in an amount equal to the compensation paid to full-time criminal investigators in the Seventh Circuit Court District subject to available funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature.
( * * *3) The * * *
District Attorney for the Seventh Circuit Court District shall be
authorized to prosecute cases in the CCID inferior court. The provisions of
this section shall not be construed to prohibit or in any way limit the * * *
District Attorney for the Seventh Circuit Court District from filing an
indictment or any other criminal action that occurred or accrued, in whole or
in part, within the boundaries of the CCID.
( * * *4) This section shall stand repealed
on July 1, 2027.
SECTION 2. Section 25-32-4, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
25-32-4. (1) The public defender of the Seventh Circuit Court District may appoint three (3) full-time assistant public defenders who shall perform duties in the Seventh Circuit Court District and the Capitol Complex Improvement District (CCID) Inferior Court. Such appointments shall be made in addition to those authorized as of July 1, 2023 in Section 25-32-3.
(2) (a) The public defender of the Seventh Circuit Court District may appoint two (2) full-time assistant public defenders who shall perform duties in the CCID Inferior Court.
(b) The support staff for the full-time assistant public defenders appointed under this subsection shall receive compensation in an amount equal to the compensation paid to support staff in the Seventh Circuit Court District subject to available funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature.
(3) The full-time assistant public defenders appointed under this section shall receive compensation in an amount equal to the compensation paid to full-time assistant public defenders in the Seventh Circuit Court District subject to available funds specifically appropriated by the Legislature.
SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2026.
